Headlights Full beam not working

[al & chris]

Tonight just put headlights on to full beam and all went dark, put back on to dipped and back on again. Intermitant at first stayed on full beam for a while then darkness. Any ideas, could it be a relay ?

[g8dhe]

Check the lamp sockets first! They have a habit of heating up and losing all the spring in the connectors, if so replace with ceramic ones from ebay.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from= ... s&_sacat=0

[Bob]

Do they come on if you use the 'Flasher' on the stalk?

That will give a clue if its the connectors or possibly the relay or the contacts on the stalk.

[MalcW]

Check the lamp sockets first! They have a habit of heating up and losing all the spring in the connectors, if so replace with ceramic ones from ebay.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from= ... s&_sacat=0

I would have thought it unlikely that both bulb holders would fail simultaneously. More likely to be the stalk.

[Bob]

Again rare, but I have known both bulbs go, hence worth trying the flasher.

[teenmal]

Tonight just put headlights on to full beam and all went dark, put back on to dipped and back on again. Intermitant at first stayed on full beam for a while then darkness. Any ideas, could it be a relay ?

Owing to the fact that as you have said "it was intermittent" I would have a good look at the relays, they tend to get a wee bit damp and dirty around the Gills.
But don't rule out the bulbs first.

[mikeonb4c]

Tonight just put headlights on to full beam and all went dark, put back on to dipped and back on again. Intermitant at first stayed on full beam for a while then darkness. Any ideas, could it be a relay ?

Owing to the fact that as you have said "it was intermittent" I would have a good look at the relays, they tend to get a wee bit damp and dirty around the Gills.
But don't rule out the bulbs first.

I'm inclined towards the relays myself, but guess its a case of working through all the points raised above.

[al & chris]

Do they come on if you use the 'Flasher' on the stalk?

That will give a clue if its the connectors or possibly the relay or the contacts on the stalk.

Yes they do come on if using flasher, just when flick stalk forwards. Was intermitant for a couple of times now does now just darkkness when stalk flicked forwards. No high beam and no headlights.

[Bob]

By any chance do you have spot lights fitted to come on with main beam?

If an extra relay wasn't fitted this could have burned out the contacts in the stalk.

And do I read correctly there's also no dipped beam?

[mikeonb4c]

Do they come on if you use the 'Flasher' on the stalk?

That will give a clue if its the connectors or possibly the relay or the contacts on the stalk.

Yes they do come on if using flasher, just when flick stalk forwards. Was intermitant for a couple of times now does now just darkkness when stalk flicked forwards. No high beam and no headlights.

Ah - doesn't sound so much like the relay now. Stalk now the main suspect?

[al & chris]

By any chance do you have spot lights fitted to come on with main beam?

If an extra relay wasn't fitted this could have burned out the contacts in the stalk.

And do I read correctly there's also no dipped beam?

No spot lights. Dipped beam as normal until headlights flicked forwards to full beam then dipped beam goes out as well as full beam not coming on.

[Bob]

That's normal, with this set up dip will always go out when main is selected.

One or the other, not both together.

[rita]

To get the main and dipped to come on together you need to switch the dip on then use the flash operation, the dip will go out BUT when you release the stalk Slightly the dip will come back on illuminating both main and dip. This operation has been used for years against ignorant oncoming drivers, and really light up lonely unlit country roads.

Good Luck.

[al & chris]

Sprayed wd 40 into stalk contact area and main beam worked for a couple of minutes. Dirty stalk contacts? Or do they need to be replaced. Are they easy to get to and do I have to disassemble them to clean them.

[Bob]

I'd try some spray contact cleaner, if that doesn't work the contacts are likely burned out.

Don't know how hard it is to remove the stalk but it shouldn't be too difficult, trim off the column and a couple of screws I'd guess.